The musings, rants, and dissertations of 3 retired military guys and 1 chick. Two Air Force, two Navy. Old AF Sarge, Juvat, Tuna, & LUSH.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Tiger 131

Tiger 131 at home in the Bovington Tank Museum (Photo by Hohum, Source)

I may have mentioned before that I like tanks. (Here and here as well.) I recently acquired a Blu-Ray copy of the movie Fury. I know there are some who didn't care for the film. To each his/her own. The movie does for WWII Sherman tank crews what Saving Private Ryan did for the infantry.One of the "stars" of the film was the Bovington Tank Museum's Panzerkampfwagen VI, the Tiger.When I first saw Fury the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up when that Tiger lumbered onto the screen. It did not look like a CGI special effect, no sir, no ma'am. It looked like the "real deal." After I got home from the theater, I did a little research.It was a real live Tiger tank.WARNING, LANGUAGE ALERT: The following contains language not really suitable for the young'uns. But it's how soldiers (sailors, Marines and airmen too) talk. Rough and gritty.

While searching the Tube o' You I found a very interesting series called Inside the Tanks, it just so happens that they were exploring Tiger 131. Here's all five episodes:

And to think I was going to stretch this series out over a couple of days. That would've been cruel. Besides which, I wanted to watch all of it myself!(It was either this or Russian dash camera videos. Addictive but one can only take so much stupidity. So you got tanks. Hope that's okay...)

2nd attempt at a reply: Juvat, you sound like Lex( go figure). He told me what he liked best about tanks were the secondaries. I responded his best friends on the ground would be a tank company team or armored Cav troop should he ever have to take the nylon let down in the midst of the bad guys.

Dislike all tracked vehicles, especially the drivers. They will get on a perfect float bridge tread way and lock a track while maneuvering. Puts kinks and bends in the decking. Back in garrison, the Combat Engineers are using pry bars and hammers to straighten the decking instead of hitting the strasse and drinking beer.

I can remember being in the Army 41 years ago, going though Baumholder and seeing the German artillery school. Out in front was an old Tiger tank and I thought at the time it looked almost as big - as massive - as the then-currrent M60

As to crewing a tank? When I found out that I couldn't be a fighter pilot (bad eyes) I decided to become a tanker. The Army said I was "too smart" to be a tanker (which insulted a number of buddies who WERE tankers). The Air Force guy made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Twenty-four years later, I retired from the Air Force.

Does anyone remember a dynamite arcade tank v. tank game in early 70s in which one stood , looked thru a scope & maneuvered like a real tank (with bar handles for left-right and a turret & periscope vision.) And when the opposing tank scored a hit on you the "bullet-proof" glass would crack and the game would end/be re-set? I loved that game! Only game to really get my pulse elevated like real combat until realistic computer-driven aircraft combat games hove on the scene in the 90s.

PS: Actually, first time I ran across it was in '76 in Louisville. And it was multi-tank v you and tanks would hide behind pyramid-shaped outcroppings, scoot & shoot, etc. Kept you on your toes and great exercise in geometry.(pps: One could back-up & shoot as well to escape when outnumbered)

VX, I DO recall that tank arcade game from the 70s! At the time never thought I'd end up in them much less end up in the Army. Having grown up on AF bases I had always aspired to fly USAF. God saw I was a better fit in a tank. Harder to kill yourself in it by running into things. Best!